Material handling apparatus



May 21, 1957 J. R. PRICE 2,7

Y MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1955 'zshe'ets-sheet .1

JAMES R. PRICE INVENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLEP,

' WORREL 8 HERZ/G ATTORNEYS May 21, 1957 J. R. PRICE 2,792,973

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 67 JAMES R. PRICE lNl ENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

WO/PREL 8 HERZ/G MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS James R. Price, Fresno, tjaiir. Application June 24, 1955, Serial No. 517,799 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-333) The present invention relates to a material handling apparatus and more particularly to a support for mounting a material pumping assembly.

Modern prime movers for pumping liowable semisolids and fluids from containers to points of application or deposit generally providean elongated assembly including a pump and a motor for operating the pump. Examples of materials handled by such apparatus include plaster, paint, protective coatings, adhesives, sealers, foods suchas syrups and slurries andmany others too numerous to list. It is at once apparent that these materials have a common characteristic in their tendency to harden orstick upon drying. Thus apparatus for pumping. such materials require frequent and prompt cleaning at periodic intervals. In the past, mounting arrangements for supporting motor and pumps on containers for such materials have not permitted. convenient and ready access to the pumps for cleaning or other maintenance purposes;

Forexample' when a drum or barrel serves as a container the motor. and. pump assembly has merely been mounted concentrically in a cover for the drum. Brackets have also been utilized for clamping the assemblies to the upper rim of the drum. It is apparent that these and other similar mountings make it diflicult manually to lift the pump out of the drum so that it may be cleaned. In fact it has been necessary in the past to employ separate hoists and suitable fittings on the motors for elevating the assemblies. These are obviously time consuming, clumsy and inefficient mounting methods and ones which are obviated by the present invention.

An object of this invention, therefore, -is to provide an improved mountfor a material handling assembly.

Another object is to enable more convenient access to a pump for cleaning and other maintenance, which pump is adapted to be mounted in a container for pumping flowable semi-solids or fluids contained therein.

Another object is to provide a support for mounting a motor-pump assembly, which pump requires frequent cleaning, on a container for pivotal movement between an operating position extended into pumping materials within the container and a position of convenient access withdrawn from such materials.

Another object is to provide a container for the motor and the assembly mounted thereon which accommodates the arrangement in an improved manner.

Other objects are to provide a device of the nature described which is simple and economical, durable, dependable inus'e, easily employed and which performs its intended functions in an improved manner over conventional structures for the purpose.

These and other objects will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a material handling apparatus incorporating the "principles of the present invention including a pump and a motor in an erect operating position and having a material conducting attachmenfconnected thereto. The attachment has a central portion broken away for illustrative convenience.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the material handling apparatus of Fig. 1 with portions thereof in vertical section and showing the pump and motor in a reclined cleaning position as for cleaning or repair purposes.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the material handling apparatus of Fig. 1 with a portion of the material conducting attachments shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 44 of Fig. I.

Fig. 5 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring moreparticularly to the drawings:

Thematerial handling apparatus of the present invention includes a mobile hopper or container 10 having a vertically disposed trapezoidally shaped. front wall 11, a pair of'opposed inwardly inclined trapezoidally sloped side walls 12- connected to the front'wall and a forwardly inclinedrear wall 13 trapezoidal in shape integrally connected to the side walls. The front, side and rear walls thus converge downwardly and are integrally joined by a substantially horizontal rectangular bottom wall 14. The hopper has upper forward, rearward and side edges circumscribing an upper opening and within which is securely mounted a substantially rectangular rim 15. The rim provides forward, rearward and side flanges 16, 17 and 18, respectively, disposed in a substantially common horizontal plane. For reasons which will subsequently become apparent, the side flanges constitute spaced parallel tracks disposed longitudinally of the hopper.

A pair of forwardly disposed inverted L-shaped angle brackets 20 provide vertical flanges rigidly connected to the side tracks 18 of the rim 15 intransversely opposed relation thereon. The angle brackets also provide horizontal flanges inwardly extended in upwardly spaced channel-forming relation with the tracks. A threaded bolt 21 is upwardly extended from the forward flange 16 of the rim and a wing nut 22 is screw-threadably connected thereto.

A support frame 30 is preferably formed from elongated tubing bent as shown in Fig. 1, and including a pair of handle bar portions 31 horizontally rearwardly extended from the hopper 1e and welded thereto at forward ends thereof; Leg portions 32 are downwardly extended fromthe'handle bar portions and are upwardly curved to provide lower foot portions 33. Side portions 34 are forwardly extended from the foot portions and are joined forwardly of the hopper by an arcuate nose portion 35. The frame also includes a rearwardly and upwardly extended brace 36 interconnecting the nose portion and the front wall 11 of the hopper. Wheel mounting brackets 40 are rigidly secured in opposed parallel relation on the side portions 34 of the support frame 30 rearwardly adjacent to the nose portion. 35. A horizontally disposed axle 41 is extended between the wheel mounting brackets and rotatably mounts a ground engaging support wheel 42 thereon.

A mounting bracket 49 includes rectangular journal blocks 50 inwardly marginally overlappingthe upper side edges of the hopper It) and provides rollers 51 laterally extended for rolling engagement on the tracks 18. An elongated fulcrum rod 52, preferably having a square cross section and constituting a horizontal pivot axis, provides journal pins 53 endwardly extended therefrom and rotatablymounted in the journal blocks. The fulcrum rod interconnects the journal blocks in substantial alignment transversely of the tracks for simultaneous movement forwardly and rearwardly of the hopper It) with therollers in engagement with thetracks. In the forward position of therod, the'rollers enter the chan- 3 nels formed by the angle brackets 20 and the tracks thereby to hold the rod in place over the hopper.

The mounting bracket 49 also provides a substantially square mounting plate 55 having a central opening 56, a rear edge secured, as by welding, to the fulcrum rod 52 and a forward edge transversely forwardly extended from the rod and including a notch 57 aligned for receiving the threaded bolt 21 on the forward flange 16. The plate is thus adapted for movement forwardly and rearwardly of the hopper on the fulcrum rod and for pivotal movement on the rod as an axis. In its forward position the plate is adapted to rest on the forward flange with the notch fitted over the threaded bolt. It is to be noted that in this position the rollers 51 are under the angle brackets 20. Thus by tightening the wing nut 22, the entire mounting bracket is dependably secured in a forward position, as shown in Fig. 1.

A pump 60 for handling highly viscous fluids or other flowable work materials such as plaster, paint, adhesives, sealers, grease and the like provides a mounting tube 61 having a lower threaded end 62 extended through the central opening 56 in the mounting plate 55 and an outlet receptacle 63. An elongated cylinder 64 has an upper end threadably connected to the mounting tube by a coupling sleeve 65. A valve body 66 is threadably connected in endward extension from a lower end of the cylinder and provides a central lower opening 67. A pin 68 is transversely mounted within the valve body and an inlet ball valve 69 .is releasably fitted within the body over the opening and below the pin.

A piston 72 is mounted within the cylinder 64 for reciprocal movement between intake and compression positions and provides a longitudinally extended bore 73 therethrough. An open cage 74 is longitudinally extended from the piston within the cylinder and an outlet ball valve 75 is releasably seated over the bore and captured for movement within the cage. An elongated piston rod 76 is secured to the cage and concentrically longitudinally extended within the cylinder and through the mounting tube 61.

An air motor 80 or the like provides a support body 81 connected by bolts 82 to the mounting tube 61. The air motor has an air cylinder 83 and a piston rod 84 connected to the piston rod 76 for the pump 60. An air distributing valve 85 is included with the air motor and disposed on the opposite end of the air cylinder from the support body.

The pump 60 and motor 80 are thus interconnected in rigid assembly oppositely extended from the mounting bracket 49 and together constitute an elongated fluid or flowable material withdrawing means, generally indicated by numeral 88.

A delivery conduit 90 provides an inlet end connected to the outlet receptacle 63 of the mounting tube 61 and an outlet end. A flexible delivery hose 91 provides an inlet end releasably connected to the outlet end of the delivery conduit by a coupling 92. An elongated pole gun 93 is releasably connected by a coupling 94 to the delivery housing and provides a discharge nozzle 53 and a pole gun air control valve 96 having an open and closed position.

An air motor control valve 100 is provided for controlling the air motor 80 in response to operation of the pole gun control valve 96. That is, when the valve 96 is open the air motor is turned on and when the valve 96 is closed, the air motor is turned off. The structure for accomplishing this is well known in the art and neither shown nor described in detail. interconnects the air motor control valve with any suitable source of compressed air, not shown. An air. conducting hose 102 connects the air motor control valve with the air distributing valve 85 and another air conducting hose 103 connects the control valve 100 to the pole gun control valve 96. The hose 103 is preferably connected to the hose 91 by means of clamps 104.

An air inlet hose 101 A surge eliminator 110 is connected by a coupling 111 to the delivery conduit 90. The purpose of the surge eliminator is to maintain a constant flow of work material to the pole gun 93 during the intake stroke of the pump 60.

Operation The operation of the device of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. The pump 60 and air motor are placed in their substantially erect position, as shown in Fig. 1, with the pump extended downwardly within the hopper 10 over the bottom wall 14. In this position the horizontal flanges of the angle brackets 20 are in overlying engagement with the rollers 51. The mounting bracket 49 is held against longitudinal or pivotal movement at a position forwardly of the hopper by tightening the wing nut 22 against the mounting plate 55.

The hopper 10 is filled with a quantity of plaster or other heavy fluid or flowable work material, not shown. The apparatus is placed in operation by opening the pole gun control valve 96 which automatically turns on the air motor 80 through action of the air motor control valve 100. The pole gun 93 is then manually manipulated in any desired position to discharge a spray of plaster through the nozzle against a surface to be plastered.

Actuation of the air motor 80 causes its piston rod 84 and therefore the piston rod 76 to reciprocate between a compression or extension stroke and an intake or retraction stroke. During the intake stroke, the piston 72 is pulled upwardly in the cylinder 64 to draw a charge of plaster through the opening 67 past the inlet ball valve 69 into the cylinder. It is noted that the pin 68 limits upward movement of the inlet ball valve and that the outlet ball valve 75 remains seated over the bore 73. On the compression stroke of the pump, the piston forces the charge of plaster drawn in on the previous intake stroke upwardly through the bore 73 therein, past the outlet ball valve 75 into the cylinder above the piston. It is noted that the inlet ball valve seats tightly over the opening 67 during the compression stroke.

After a sufficient quantity of plaster has been built up in the cylinder 64 above the piston 72, subsequent intake strokes force the plaster out of the mounting tube 61, through the delivery conduit 90, the delivery hose 91 and out the pole gun 93. As explained the gun may be manipulated to discharge the plaster in any desired direction. Although the piston 72 is ineifective to maintain a constant and steady flow of plaster out of the pole gun at all times, the surge eliminator assists in this respect by eliminating initial material surge and by insuring substantially uniform material conduction and spray application.

The pump 60 and the motor 80 are rigidly held in position in the hopper 10 by the nut 22 tightened down on bolt 21 against the mounting plate 55 and by the angle brackets 20 which maintain the rollers 51 against the track 18.

When it is desired to shut off the flow of plaster from the pole gun 93, the pole gun control valve 96 is closed. This automatically shuts off the air motor through action of the air motor control valve 100.

In order to clean the pump 60, the wing nut 22 is loosened to free the mounting plate 55 and therefore the pump and air motor 80 to permit movement rearwardly of the hopper 10. During rearward movement the rollers 51 are withdrawn from within the channels formed by the angle brackets 20 and the track 18 and rolled rearwardly on the tracks. The valve body 66 of the pump engages the rear wall 13 of the hopper during such movement thus tending partially to tilt the pump and air motor rearwardly in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 1, around the fulcrum rod 52 as an axis. When the fulcrum'rod is in a rearward position, however, the pump and air motor are manually tilted into a substantially horizontal position with the support body 81 of the airmotor'rested on the rear fiange17 of the hopper, as shown in Fig. 2.

The pump is cleaned in any desired manner but preferably by removing the valve body 66 and the cylinder 64 from the coupling sleeve 65. In. addition, it is apparent that in this position the entire. work material withdrawing means 88 is conveniently accessible not only for cleaning purposes but also for other maintenance, repair, and the like. Inasmuch as the mounting brackets or members 49 are moved from beneath the angle brackets 20 by simply rolling the members rearwardly, the pump assembly 88 is thus quickly and easily released for removal from the container in a simple and expeditious manner.

The container is portable on the wheels 42and may be manually moved from place to place by grasping the handle bar portions 31 of the support frame 30. The apparatus is thus moved in much the same manner as a wheelbarrow. The present invention enables the shifting of the weight of the fluid withdrawing means 88 on the hopper It) for more convenient balancing of the hopper during transport or if desired, complete removal of the pump 60 and motor 80 from the hopper.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a fluid container having an open top and means for withdrawing fluid from the container, which means requires frequent access for cleaning and the like; a pair of substantially parallel horizontal tracks mounted on the container, mounting members supported on the tracks for movement longitudinally thereof, a fulcrum rod interconnecting the mounting members, a plate transversely extended from the rod, and means mounting the fluid withdrawing means on the plate, the plate being pivotal about the rod as an axis between a first position rested on the container with the fluid withdrawing means downwardly extended therefrom into the container and an upwardly pivoted second position spaced longitudinaly of the tracks from said first position with said fluid withdrawing means rested on the container.

2. In combination with a fluid container having an open top and means for withdrawing fluid from the container, which means requires frequent access for cleaning and the like; a pair of substantially parallel horizontal tracks mounted on the container, mounting members supported on the tracks for movement longitudinally thereof between predetermined selected positions, a fulcrum rod interconnecting the mounting members, a plate transversely extended from the rod, means mounting the fluid withdrawing means on the plate, the plate being pivotal about the rod as an axis between a first position rested on the container with the fluid withdrawing means downwardly extended therefrom into the container and an upwardly pivoted second position spaced longitudinally of the tracks from said first position with said fluid withdrawing means rested on the container, channel forming brackets mounted on the tracks engaging the mounting members when the plate is in said first position, and a fastening member mounted on the container releasably engaging the plate in said first position.

3. In a material handling apparatus providing an elongated pump; a hopper including a bottom wall, front and side walls, a rear wall rearwardly upwardly inclined from the bottom wall and an open top; flanges supported on the side walls longitudinally extended in parallel relation between the front and rear walls and lying in a substantially common horizontal plane; journal blocks oppositely disposed in thehopper having rollers outwardly extended in rolling engagement with flanges; a fulcrum rod transversely disposed relative to the flanges having ends rotatably mounted in the journal blocks and being movable longitudinally of the tracks between forward, and rearward positions on the hopper; means connected to the fulcrum rod mounting the pump thereon for pivotal movement on the rod as an axis between an operative position with the pump extended downwardly in the hopper over the bottom wall thereof when the fulcrum rod is in a forward position and an inoperative position with the pump upwardly inclined for support on the rear wall of the hopper when the fulcrum rod is in a rearward position, the pump engaging the inclined rear wall of the hopper during movement from operative to inoperative position thereby partially tilting it toward its inclined rearward position, and means mounted on the flange releasably engaging the roHers in forward positions of the fulcrum rod.

4. In an apparatus including a motor having driving connection to a pump, which pump is adapted to pump fluid materials subject to subsequent hardening so that the pump requires prompt cleaning after use, a fluid supply and mounting means for the pump and motor comprising a container having an open top, opposite side edges providing substantially parallel tracks therealong, and spaced end edges disposed transversely between the tracks, a pair of mounting members mounted on the tracks for reciprocal movement longitudinally thereof, a fulcrum rod interconnecting the mounting members and constraining said members to substantial alignment transversely of the tracks, a plate mounted on the rod and extended transversely therefrom adapted to rest on an end edge of the container and being pivotal upwardly therefrom, and means mounting the motor and pump on the plate with the pump downwardly extended into the container when the plate is rested on the end edge with the motor disposed above the plate and said pump being movable to a substantially horizontal position with the plate upwardly extended, the motor resting on the end edge of the container opposite to that on which the plate is adapted to rest, and with the ptunp disposed above the container.

5. in a plaster spraying apparatus having a driving motor and a pump interconnected in rigid assembly, which pump requires frequent cleaning after use to avoid the hardening of plaster therein, the combination of an open top container having substantially parallel side edges and first and second substantially parallel end edges in rectangular relation in a common substantially horizontal plane, a pair of mounting members mounted on the side edges of the container for reciprocal movement therealong between opposite predetermined positions adjacent to the end edges, a fulcrum rod interconnecting the mounting members and constraining said members to substantial alignment transversely of the container, the rod lying substantially in the plane of the edges of the container and having opposite ends journ-aled in the mounting members, a plate rigidly mounted on the rod and extended transversely therefrom adapted to rest in a substantially horizontal plane on the first end edge when the mounting members are adjacent thereto and being pivotal upwardly therefrom by rotation of the arm in the mounting members, means adapted releasably to secure the plate on the first end edge, a pair of channel brackets rigidly mounted on the side edges in positions to overlie the mounting members and retain said members on their respective side edges of the container when the plate is rested on the first end edge, and means mounting the motor and pump assembly on the plate with the pump downwardly extended into the container when the plate is rested on the first end edge of the container with the motor disposed above the plate and movable to a position with the pump substantially horizontally extended over the container and the motor rested on the second end edge of the container byfupward pivotal movement of the plate and movement of themounting members away from the first end edge;

6. In an apparatus including a motor and pump assembly adapted to pump fluid materials, which assembly requires frequent access thereto for cleaning purposes; a container having an Open top, opposite side edges, and spaced end edges; means mounted on each of the side edges of the container for reciprocal movement therealong; a fulcrum rod interconnecting the reciprocal means and constraining said means to substantial alignment transversely of the side edges; means mounted on the rod and extended transversely therefrom adapted to rest on an end edge of the container and being pivotal upwardly therefrom; said means mounting the motor and pump assembly thereon with said assembly downwardly extended into the container when the mounting means 'is rested on the end edge and with the assembly substantially horizontally disposed in rested position on the end edge opposite to that onwhich the mounting means is adapted to rest when said mounting means is pivoted upwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

